The marginalization of spiritual influence in modern society is often lamented, and those doing so may be greasing the slide unwittingly. Think with me for a moment.
Pastors, more than churches, want all the pews filled. Their motive is not always singular or biblical. Somehow a large crowd seems to them to validate their ministerial value. When that occurs, worship format, terminology, and honorable traditions are tossed to appeal to a spiritually challenged people who will continue to demand, and to make concessions as they deem them good from a humanistic viewpoint. The theological slide being greased by that embodies appeals to please that are directed away from God toward men. It is subtle, and often takes a while for its fruit to be evident, but it is nonetheless real. Notice the propensity to drop time-honored, costly values because they are not readily understood or appreciated by the lost world.
In hypocritical reverence, Christ rejecting Jews reveal fake piety by refusing to type
“God,” in written form, insisting it must be set forth as “G-D” lest deity be offended. Then some Baptists awed. in ignorance. take up the same error. God told Moses His name, not a bunch of dashes. Men and God should be addressed by name!
Moreover, Missionary Baptist Churches have a grand heritage bathed in the blood of millions of martyrs since the days of Jesus on earth. Now, some do not want to call themselves
“Baptists” for fear of rejection by the world. So, theirs is the “Church at Bird-nest Hollow,” etc.
Personally, I want people to know that I am a Missionary Baptist and that Baptists are identified by the great doctrines of the faith once delivered to the saints. Names carry power to edify or debase by their sanctified reception or lack thereof. Being marginalized for truth’s sake is bad enough, why grease the slide by seeking to build by deception?
But, criticism should be constructive. Since a little leaven leavens the whole lump, why not stick with tried and true paths that please the Lord? More and more, God’s true work on the earth is being marginalized by the world of religious men. It is an hour for His people to stand up and be counted, to be proud of who and what they are, not to make slide greasing concessions that can only further marginalize their meaning and influential power.
FOR THOUGHT: Have you noticed that some people are fond of nicknames, but they want those to be pronounced or written correctly? Why would anyone withdraw from addressing the Creator fully as correctly as possible? Is such not a further disrespect of the God they have already rejected and crucified? God and His church have a grand heritage and reputation. They deserve to have their names set forth correctly and fully.